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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26485459">A Test of Strength</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kougayon/pseuds/Kougayon'>Kougayon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff and Humor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:55:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,606</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26485459</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kougayon/pseuds/Kougayon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Haru,” the blond slams both hands on the desk and says firmly “I wanna test your strength!”</p>
<p>She tilts her head at him. “A test of strength? What do you have in mind?”</p>
<p>“Arm wrestling.”</p>
<p>“Oh..” she says.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Okumura Haru/Sakamoto Ryuji</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Test of Strength</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Commission for <a href="https://twitter.com/rebelaar_writer?s=21">@rebelaar_writer</a>! </p>
<p>Please enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em><br/>Incident #1</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s December at last… and it’s cold. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He hates the cold. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Students continuously pour out of the school building as Ryuji stands by the gate, hands in his pockets and face muffled under his scarf. Akira should be here any minute now… They both made plans to hit up the beef bowl shop after school, after all. The blond taps his foot against the concrete, impatient. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>UGHH</span>
  </em>
  <span>…” he groans. “The hell’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>takin’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>him so long—”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh dear…” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sudden tune of a familiar, soft voice tears him away from his thoughts. Ryuji cranes his neck to the side to find the source, his suspicions confirmed when he sees Haru standing by the school entrance in her tracksuit. Hand placed over her cheek as she looks down at a pile of… bags? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The blond approaches her. “Haru?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl jumps slightly, startled by his presence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“O-Oh, Ryuji.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatcha doin with all those sacks?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fertilizer. I had an order shipped to the school so I could prepare my flowers for spring…” She shakes her head. “But, it looks like they gave me more than expected…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The blond eyes up the sizable bags. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They look </span>
  <em>
    <span>heavy. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Was she really planning to carry these up to the roof by </span>
  <em>
    <span>herself??</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“These are going up to the roof, yeah? That’s a lot of shit to be carrying on your own. Why don’t you let me help?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Really? Are you sure..? There’s quite a few bags here…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji perks up, his toothy grin peeking out from under his scarf. “Yeah, of course! I don’t mind!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His heart flutters a bit when she tilts her head and smiles sweetly at him. “That would be quite a help, thank you!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With that, Ryuji rolls up his sleeves a tad and steps over to the pile of sacks. Careful not to strain his back or bad leg, he scoops a couple bags into his arms and lifts. The sheer weight of just </span>
  <em>
    <span>two</span>
  </em>
  <span> out of many causes him to grunt. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Geez, these are h-heavy as shit…” he huffs. “You might be better off to just let </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> carry all… of… these..?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The blond’s words slow to a halt when he peers over to see Haru effortlessly lifting up </span>
  <em>
    <span>five </span>
  </em>
  <span>bags and already heading towards the stairs. Not a single bit of strain or difficulty detected in her movements. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“H-How the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell…?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>S-Surely </span>
  <em>
    <span>those </span>
  </em>
  <span>sacks must be lighter in weight. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There’s no way a sweet girl like that—or </span>
  <em>
    <span>any </span>
  </em>
  <span>high schooler for that matter is </span>
  <em>
    <span>that strong.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>… Right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Incident #2</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Skull! Behind you!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji barely has a moment to duck before Noir’s sizable axe swings just inches over his head and lands into the body of an approaching shadow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“G-GEEZ..!” The blond looks up at the other with a grimace, shaken from the fact that he almost got his head knocked off just now. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Haru looks at him then, realizing her impulsiveness as her expression turns apologetic. “Ah! Sorry, Skull… I got a bit carried away I think.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The blond waves it off with a smile. “Naaah, don’t worry about it. You still ended up savin’ me!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Haru offers him a smile in return as she lifts up her axe with ease and hoists it over her shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now that Ryuji gets a more up-close look at the weapon in question, his eyes go wide. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yikes</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that thing is huge. How the hell does she </span>
  <em>
    <span>carry</span>
  </em>
  <span> it—let alone swing it at enemies with such ease? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe it’s lighter than it looks…? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wonders… </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Say, Noir…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How the hell do you carry that thing? Isn’t it heavy?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” she holds up the bulky weapon. “You mean my axe..? I don’t think it’s heavy at all! In fact, I find swinging it to be quite easy!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>lightweight. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mind if I… try it out for myself?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure!” Haru giggles at the odd request, approaching the other with her axe in hand. She holds it out horizontally and places it in the palm of Ryuji’s hands. The entire time the blond is expecting this to be nothing but a breeze. However, the moment Haru drops it into his hands—</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“W-WHOA—!!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In nearly an </span>
  <em>
    <span>instant </span>
  </em>
  <span>the sheer weight of the massive weapon takes its toll and Ryuji finds himself fallen to the ground, the axe resting atop his chest and pinning him there. Rendering him unable to move. Haru looks down at him with her hands cupped over her mouth in surprise. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“N…No</span>
  <em>
    <span>ir</span>
  </em>
  <span>..” the blond huffs weakly as the iron object practically crushes him. “A l-little…h-he</span>
  <em>
    <span>lp</span>
  </em>
  <span>..” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“O-Oh, right!” The girl quickly bends down to pull the axe off of him. Air immediately returns to his lungs and Skull is left on the ground gasping for breath as Haru  helps him to his feet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“W</span>
  <em>
    <span>HAT</span>
  </em>
  <span> is that thing </span>
  <em>
    <span>MADE </span>
  </em>
  <span>of?! I thought you said it wasn’t heavy!!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Um… steel I think?” Haru says sheepishly. “I’m sorry, I’m not really sure myself. I always found it to be quite light…” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How the hell do you even </span>
  <em>
    <span>carry</span>
  </em>
  <span> that thing?! It’s like trying to swing a </span>
  <em>
    <span>TRUCK.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps it has something to do with cognition..? In my mind, I’ve always thought of it as easy to swing, but perhaps you imagined it to be quite heavy?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cognition… </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yeah, that </span>
  <em>
    <span>has </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>no way </span>
  </em>
  <span>Haru is </span>
  <em>
    <span>that strong</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There’s just no way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Incident #3</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A head of auburn fluff carefully pokes from behind the rooftop doorway. Haru must have seen the sudden text instructing her to meet here after school. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She immediately takes notice of the blond boy sitting at one of the spare desks, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> the fact that there’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>two </span>
  </em>
  <span>chairs placed on either side of it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ryuji? You wanted to meet… up here?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yup,” the boy says as he gestures to the chair before her. Haru is baffled, but takes a seat anyway. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is… something the matter?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji meets her confused expression with one of determination. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, I’ll just cut to the chase,” he sighs. “Haru, you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>strong.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Strong..?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Like, </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>fuckin strong. Or at least that’s what it looks like. I keep wonderin’ if you’ve actually got as much muscle power as it seems, or if it really is just a coincidence.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I don’t think I understand?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Haru,” the blond slams both hands on the desk and says firmly “I wanna test your strength!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She tilts her head at him. “A test of strength? What do you have in mind?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Arm wrestling.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh</span>
  </em>
  <span>..” she says. “I suppose your desk arrangement makes sense then. Is this really necessary though..?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Pleeease</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” the blond pleads. “Come on, this has been driven me nuts! I wanna see how strong you really are!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well..” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just one match. Just one! Think of it as a contest between friends!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Haru ponders the idea for a moment, debating on whether this is really a wise idea or not. Eventually, she looks at him with a smile and nods. “Okay, sure! I suppose it wouldn’t hurt!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hell yeah! Okay, now just position your arm like this—”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji proceeds to demonstrate how proper arm wrestling works. From the positioning, to the rules, and so on. Eventually, Haru comes to an understanding on what to do. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now that they’re both finally settled, they’re officially ready to begin. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two thieves position their elbows atop the table and lock hands, steadying themselves until Ryuji gives the signal. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright! Here we go! On the count of three, we push.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Haru giggles. “May the strongest win!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“One…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s strange… even in this position of strength, Haru still looks so </span>
  <em>
    <span>delicate. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Two…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Can she really be that strong? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Or were all those times really just a fluke after all?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Regardless, it’s time to find out once and for all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Three—!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What happens next is something Ryuji never could have anticipated. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It all happens so fast that if you blinked, you’d miss it.   </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The way Haru’s arm instantly slams Ryuji’s down against the surface of the desk so harshly that a crack forms in the wood grain. In what feels like slowed time, the crack grows. And before they know it, the desk is breaking in half, swallowing up Ryuji’s arm with it as he’s brought to the ground from Haru’s sheer power. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pieces of desk lie scattered around the rooftop, Haru, quickly looks on at the sight in shock and regret, and Ryuji is left on the ground with a likely sprained wrist before he even realizes what’s just happened. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“R-Ryuji?!” Haru is instantly at his side, face full of worry. “A-Are you okay? Are you hurt?!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hahaha… ow…” the blond’s laughs turn to groans as he sits up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ryuji?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Geez. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I guess you really </span>
  <em>
    <span>are </span>
  </em>
  <span>that strong.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> “Ryuji, I’m so sorry! I-I didn’t realize—”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The hell are you apologizing for? I’m the one that wanted to test your strength.” The blond carefully massages at his bruising wrists, wincing at the stinging pain. “And god </span>
  <em>
    <span>damn </span>
  </em>
  <span>did you pass.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But, I hurt you…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So?! I’ll be fine! You should be proud of yourself. You’re the first person to ever beat Sakamoto Ryuji in an arm wrestling match! Thank you for showing me that godly power of yours!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Haru’s worried frown turns into a smile coupled with giggles. “It was my pleasure.” She leans in and plants a chaste kiss to his cheek. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryuji jerks back, cheeks tinted with a blush. “H-Hey, don’t just—!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll go get a first aid kit now!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With that, she speeds out the door, a slight skip in her step as Ryuji is left in flustered confusion. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“H-Haru?! W-Wait—hey, get back here!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
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